Inriri Marks a Tree

Early one morning, hearing the usual tapping of the woodpeckers, we heard one tapping that was much closer than usual.  Moving closer to the source of the tapping, we saw a woodpecker pecking on a cherry tree with focused intensity.

He was so absorbed in his work that he did not worry about us moving closer and closer to take his picture.  As he pecked he threw out slivers of wood.

The vibration of his pecking was very strong, and seeing this we realized how strong his head and beak must be to withstand such force.

There is a Taino Myth, which we will not go into detail about right here, however it concerns the Inriri (woodpecker) and the making of Cemis.  Knowing this significance, we made note of the tree the woodpecker was focusing on.

This WILL be a tree that we will transform into a Cemis specifically the area which the Inriri has been working on.  We also gather the wood shards the woodpecker has thrown to utilize in Cemis and Bilongos and Fundamento as appropriate.

We can always take a section of tree, and with various tools make it into any shape we want, however when an animal or bird does the shaping for us, we are now working with the Spirit of that Animal and the Spirit of the particular Tree, which brings another dynamic and additional energies into what we are working with.  Just as when we use a piece of wood from the Ocean or River, we are using a Spirit of the Tree but also a tree that has been shaped by the Spirit of the Ocean or River, which brings additional energies to that wood.  

The Inriri is a bird that has a very powerful head and whose pecking sounds like a drum, and a communication.  This woodpecker has a red cap, further emphasizing the Head, the Consciousness, the Mind.  The woodpecker is digging deep into the tree for the insects that will nourish it, and throwing out that which is inedible, showing discernment and the ability to dig in deep.

All these qualities are significant, and we were excited to see this tree being marked by the woodpecker. The fact that the woodpecker was not afraid of us, and made his presence known insistently to the point that we decided to investigate where he was, all point to this being a tree that needs to be transformed into Medicine, Nkisis, Palo, Cemis etc.   

These photos show the speed and power of the woodpecker's movement.  Be sure to click on the photos to enlarge to be able to appreciate more fully the striking markings of the woodpecker!  At a later time we will be elaborating further on the Taino Myth involving Inriri and the significance of the Myth and the resulting Cemis.